Overall sentiment across the reviews for Etowah Landing is strongly mixed with a substantial lean toward praise for the staff, therapy services, and social/housekeeping aspects — but with a number of serious, recurring negative reports that materially affect perceptions and could represent systemic problems.
On the positive side, the most consistent strengths cited are the people who provide day-to-day care. Many reviewers emphasize that nurses, CNAs, therapists, activities staff, housekeeping, maintenance and dietary personnel are compassionate, friendly, and professional. Physical and occupational therapy are repeatedly singled out as excellent — therapists are described as motivating, hands-on, and instrumental in residents’ recoveries. Housekeeping and laundry are often praised for cleanliness and fresh linens, and activity programming is noted as engaging and valuable to residents’ quality of life. Numerous families described a “family-like” atmosphere where residents feel valued, have friends, and appreciate socialization. Several reviews also highlight supportive social work and case management, helpful front office staff, and administrators who were proactive and communicative in certain cases. Food receives mostly positive marks (some reviewers rate it 8/10), and several families appreciated dietary staff who tailored meals to medical needs. There are multiple reports of peaceful, dignified end-of-life experiences and gratitude toward staff who provided comfort in final days.
However, these positive reports are counterbalanced by a significant cluster of serious complaints that recur across reviews and warrant attention. Several reviewers reported medication management failures — delays or missing pain and other medications for days — and in some cases an unclear or unresponsive explanation from staff. Short-staffing is a frequent theme: reviewers mention busy staff, stretched respiratory coverage (including a claim of one respiratory nurse for an entire floor), and staff too occupied to meet expected care frequency. These staffing pressures are linked, in alleged cases, to neglectful outcomes such as unmanaged wounds, bedsores, infections (UTI, kidney, respiratory), and one review claiming a ventilator-unit patient was near death. There are multiple very severe allegations — theft of belongings, refusal of hospice or hospice-team entry, denial of compassionate care to a veteran, and allegations that poor care contributed to a death. While these may represent a minority of experiences, their severity stands out and is repeatedly echoed in different reviews.
Facility condition and management responsiveness also show a split pattern. Many reviewers say the facility is clean and well-maintained despite being an older building, with outstanding housekeeping on some units. Yet others describe parts of the facility as run-down, cite pest problems (roaches), and assert that management is unhelpful or slow to respond to concerns. Several reviewers report getting “the runaround” when trying to reach administrators or waiting for promised follow-up. Food issues are less common but present — reports of cold lunches or meals not meeting expectations occur alongside many positive food comments. Safety concerns are raised not only about clinical care but also about the surrounding neighborhood and limits on visitation at certain times.
A prominent pattern in these reviews is pronounced inconsistency: many families describe exceptional, compassionate care and highly recommend Etowah Landing, while other families report alarming neglect and very poor outcomes. Some reviewers explicitly state prior problems were resolved, suggesting that the facility may address issues when raised; others say problems are ongoing and severe. For prospective families this inconsistency is the most salient takeaway — experiences appear to vary widely by unit, shift, clinical complexity (e.g., ventilator-dependent residents), and possibly by how effectively families engage with administration.
In summary, Etowah Landing receives strong praise for its staff, therapists, activities, and many aspects of daily caregiving, producing many heartfelt recommendations. At the same time, there are multiple recurring, significant concerns — medication errors/delays, staffing shortages, alleged refusal of hospice access, serious clinical neglect claims, facility maintenance/pest issues, management communication problems, and rare but severe accusations (theft, neglect leading to death). These mixed signals suggest a facility that can deliver high-quality, compassionate care but also has gaps that, when they occur, are serious. Anyone considering Etowah Landing should weigh the many positive reports of hands-on, attentive staff and strong therapy against the documented variability and the particular red-flag complaints; visiting in person, asking specific questions about staffing levels, medication protocols, hospice policies, respiratory/ventilator coverage, and speaking with multiple families or the facility ombudsman could help clarify current performance and risk.
